NEW roads are slated for construction in the farming community of Ebini, located in the Upper Berbice River, in an effort to push agricultural production in Region 10.
Region 10 Regional Executive Officer (REO), Orrin Gordon said he has received correspondence from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) requesting use of the region’s excavators, bulldozer and roller to develop roads in Ebini, which has become a farming hub for Region 10.

Earlier this year, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder revealed government’s plans to push Ebini and surrounding intermediate savannahs as the new agricultural frontier for Guyana. This includes the commencement of large-scale agricultural production in these areas.
Massive agricultural stations were established at Ebini, including orchards, nurseries and seed production, as well as cattle-rearing establishments

Several studies were carried out in an effort to garner success, which include land- allocation plans, land, air and river-transport plans, water-supply and distribution plans, institutional and organisational frameworks, social services plans, a physical infrastructural plan, agricultural services plan, and a study of the eco-tourism potential of the area, among others. Ebini’s agricultural production will be financed by the Inter-American Development Bank at a cost $105.7 M for the period of 2017 to 2022.

Some of the crops that will be sowed are soya beans, corn and orchard crops in addition to cattle-rearing. Up to 270, 000 square kilometres is being exploited and these include areas such as Kimbia, Ebini, Ituni/Tacama, Kibilibiri, Eberoabo and Wiruni. These savannahs have a history of cattle-rearing, legumes and orchard production, with the brown soil that has been deemed fertile.

LIMITATIONS
One of the limitations however was infrastructural development in the area and the government through the NDIA is now looking to correct this with road development, thus making the work of farmers easier, as it relates to marketing their produce. Farmers have voiced their concern in this regard to a visiting team led by former Regional Chairman Mortimer Mingo. About 34 farmers expressed the need for these roads since only 65-70 acres of land were accessible to them. This became a plight, given the lack of cheap and reliable river transportation and farmers lost much on their produce.

FARM-TO-MARKET ROADS
At Thursday’s statutory meeting, Gordon pointed out the need for the development of farm-to-market roads, as well and not only the development of roads within the community.

“We will ask them [NDIA] to consider us in terms of the farm-to-market road, so as you are producing the food in Ebini, it has to be shipped out and so the farm- to-market road becomes critical as an important link in agriculture production,” Gordon pointed out.
The road, which is about 40 miles long, will increase mobility from Ebini to Linden, which is the capital of Region 10.

With most of Linden’s food coming from other regions, the administration is optimistic that with much agriculture in Ebini, Region 10 will be able to produce its own food.